Many processes have been proposed for making nitromethane, especially by direct nitration of methane. However, it is commonly known that methane is much more difficult to nitrate than heavier hydrocarbons because it is more stable. Levels for converting methane into nitromethane are often still low.
Research has thus been conducted using common raw materials in the chemical industry in general to develop a process to make nitromethane other than by the methane procedure.